Gardeners and agricultural producers in the Sverdlovsk region are beginning to replace conventional potato varieties with new, unconventional ones, including those with purple tubers. During a press conference, Nikita Zezin, Director of the Ural Federal Agrarian Research Center, announced that local breeders have developed a potato variety specifically for healthy eating. Named “Bagira,” this purple-fleshed potato contains high levels of antioxidants, boasts excellent medicinal properties, and offers impressive yields of up to 80 tons per hectare.
In addition to “Bagira,” other innovative varieties are on the horizon. Zezin noted that a new cultivar called “Roy,” which is resistant to diseases like nematodes and yields 70 tons per hectare, is currently undergoing state trials. Another variety, “Alaska,” has already gained popularity among local residents. Meanwhile, regional Agriculture Minister Anna Kuznetsova added that over the past two to three years, Ural farmers have increasingly been planting early-ripening potato varieties to harvest their first crop as early as July and deliver it directly to retail outlets.
